A Minnesota company has pledged to remove flame-retardant chemicals from the children's nap mats it sells in California as part of a lawsuit settlement announced Monday by the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland.

Peerless Plastics will pay $25,000 to the environmental health organization, which sued the corporation and dozens of others for selling products with chlorinated Tris, a recognized carcinogen in California.

The lawsuits were filed under Proposition 65, California's consumer-safety law mandating that warning labels be placed on items with hazardous amounts of chemicals that are known to cause cancer or birth defects. The settlement with Peerless Plastics is the first in the state to be reached over flame retardants, the center said.

"Our agreement shows that California law is a vital tool for protecting children nationwide from stunningly toxic chemicals," said Michael Green, the center's executive director, in a statement.

The center said more settlements may soon follow. It has notified more than 50 other makers of nap mats, baby products and furniture that their products contain flame retardants in violation of Prop. 65 requirements.